Self-demountable support



24, 1965 E. A. WEAVER ETAL 3,202,484

SELF-DEMOUNTABLE SUPPORT Filed April 2, 1963 INVENTORS' A. WEAVER POLLACK MER ER A4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi ice 3,292,484 SELF-DEMGUNTABLE SUkPQRT Elmer A. Weaver, Spring Mount, and Robert L. Pollack,

Philadelphia, Pa, assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agricuiture Filed Apr. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 270,934

3 Claims. (1. 23--259) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) A non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in the invention herein described, throughout the world for all purposes of the United States Government, with the power to grant sublicenses for such purposes, is hereby granted to the Government of the United States of America.

This invention relates to and has among its objects providing an apparatus which utilizes the principle of gravity for locking and disengaging components of the apparatus. A particular object is to provide for oxygenfilled closedflask combustion apparatus a sample holder which can be disengaged from .the supporting means by remote control. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

In the annexed drawing, the sole figure illustrated is a perspective side view, partly in cross section, showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In general, referring to the drawing, the apparatus comprises (a) a bearing member 1 secured at one end to flaskclosure means 2 and at the opposite end a portion 3 bent at approximately right angles to provide a pivotal support, and (b) a sample carrier unit (including 4, 5 and 6) having an elongated attaching member with a circular opening 4, large enough to freely and removably pivot on 3, spaced between an end 5, which is adapted to detachably engage bearing member 1, and sample holder 6 aifixed to the attaching member at the opposite end from S.

A specific embodiment of the apparatus illustrated in the drawing was used for phosphorus analyses. The bearing member 1, a piece of No. 20 platinum-rhodium wire, was anchored in a hole drilled in a No. 24 standardtaper glass stopper, and, for use with 500 ml. short-neck, flat-bottomed flasks with 24/40 joints, a length of about /1 inch for 1 and A inch for portion 3 was convenient and satisfactory. The attaching member, about 1 /2 inches in length overall, was also made of platinum-rhodium wire with a loop providing the opening at 4. The arcuate or U-shaped end 5 was of ample width to freely engage or disengage the bearing member 1, with approximately the midpoint of the arcuate section angularly spaced in regard to the axis of the attaching member at 90 to the plane of 1 the loop 4. The opposite end of the wire was attached to the sample holder 6.

The sample holder was made by cutting 0.01 inch thick perforated platinum sheet to 1% inches by inch, aflixing the wire across the shorter distance by winding it through the holes or by spot welding, and bending the sheet to a clearance of about /8 inch.

A piece of filter paper typically serves as sample retainer and wick for igniting the sample. One end of the paper is folded about the sample and inserted in the sample holder with the wick end of the paper projecting from the sample holder in the direction away from the attaching member. This operation is most conveniently performed with the sample carrier unit disengaged from the bearing member. The attaching member and bearing member are then joined as shown in the drawing.

The assembled apparatus provides a compact, firmly attached unit when the pivot 3 and the sample holder 6 are in upright position, allowing the apparatus to be handled, as for igniting the wick to the sample and for subsequent introduction of the apparatus into the combustion flask, without dislodging the sample carrier or 3,202,484 Patented Aug. 24, 1965 spilling the sample. While the apparatus in this axial position may be tipped to an approximately upright position without the attaching member becoming disengaged, preferably the flask is tilted to at least 45 from vertical so that the apparatus may be introduced into the flask at no more than 45 from the horizontal.

The sample carrier, attached as shown in the drawing, is, however, readily self-demountable by longitudinal rotation of the closure in the flask or of the flask with the glass stopper in place. As the free end of pivot 3 passes below the horizontal plane, the loop 4 tends to slide off, and once the loop is free, the end 5 will slide along the wire 1 and fall free.

It is thus possible with this apparatus to disengage the sample carrier and immerse it in the absorbent solution for eflicient solubilization of combustion residues without opening the flask or vigorously shaking the flask. In a typical assay the volume of absorbent solution is only about 10 ml., and the splashing technique often results in incomplete removal of combustion residues from crevices of the sample holder.

In analyses performed with the apparatus of the present invention, which allows the sample holder to be completely submerged in the absorbent solution, subsequent microscopic examination of the sample holder disclosed complete removal of combustion residues.

T he particular size and shape of flask and flask-closure is immaterial to the invention.

While the bearing element may be of any material which is substantially inert to the chemicals employed in, and resulting from, combustion analysis, platinum-r-hodium alloy is preferred to platinum because the alloy is harder and provides a firmer support. Glass may be used, but is rather impractical because of the extreme care nec essary to prevent breakage.

Wire is strong enough to support the sample carrier and sample holder, and requires a minimum .of metal, but both the bearing and attaching members may also be made from rods, bars, or strips, with units at 3, 4 and 5 modified accordingly, without detracting from the objectives of this invention.

It will be understood that in apparatus of this nature, modifications and other arrangements may be made Without departing from the principles and scope of the invention which is not limited to the embodiments herein above described and illustrated by way of example and which is defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device for introducing a sample into an open flask for oxygen-filled, closed-flask combustion analysis, comprising, in combination, a flask closure member adapted to extend into and seal the opening of said flask and being capable of rotation therein, a bearing member rigidly secured to said flask closure member, and a sample-carrying member detachably mounted on said bearing member;

(a) said bearing member comprising an elongated member coaxially secured by one end thereof to the end of said flask closure member which extends into the flask, said bearing member being bent at its unsecured end into a leg perpendicular to its longitudinal axis;

(b) said sample-carrying member comprising an elongated attaching member, a sample holder secured to one end thereof, a closed loop intermediate the ends of said attaching member adapted to pivotally engage the leg of the bearing member, the axis of said closed loop being perpendicular to said attaching member, said attaching member being provided at the end remote from the sample holder with an open U- shaped loop in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said closed loop and adapted to engage the bearing member at an intermediate point thereof to prevent r 3 i a r 4 rotation of the sample-carrying member when hori- 3. The device of claim 2 wherein the material is a platzont-ally disposed with the open loop extending upinum-rhodium alloy.

ward'ly, whereby, upon rotation of the closure mema ber, the closed loop on .the sample-carrying member 7 References Cited by the'Examiner disengages from the leg of the bearing member, per- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS T h i t l b i th r fi i ffggg ifm mm V drop to e 2,756,129 7/56 Harris 23 259 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the bearing member 3,058,813 10/62 Barney 23253 and the sample-carrying member" are constructed of a material inert to the'action of chemicals employed in, and 10 MORRIS WQLK Primary Examiner resulting from, combustion analysis; I E TAYMAN, Examiner- 1 

1. A DEVICE FOR INTRODUCING A SAMPLE INTO AN OPEN FLASK FOR OXYGEN-FILLED, CLOSED-FLASK COMBUSTION ANALYSIS, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FLASK CLOSURE MEMBER ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO AND SEAL THE OPENING OF SAID FLASK AND BEING CAPABLE OF ROTATION THEREIN, A BEARING MEMBER RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID FLASK CLOSURE MEMBER, AND A SAMPLE-CARRYING MEMBER DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BEARING MEMBER; (A) SAID BEARING MEMBER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MEMBER COAXIALLY SECURED BY ONE END THEREOF TO THE END OF SAID FLASK CLOSURE MEMBER WHICH EXTENDS INTO THE FLASK, SAID BEARING MEMBER BEING BENT AT ITS UNSECURED END INTO A LEG PERPENDICULAR TO ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS; (B) SAID SAMPLE-CARRYING MEMBER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ATTACHING MEMBER, A SAMPLE HOLDER SECURED TO ONE END THEREOF, A CLOSED LOOP INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID ATTACHING MEMBER ADAPTED TO PIVOTALLY ENGAGE THE LEG OF THE BEARING MEMBER, THE AXIS OF SAID CLOSED LOOP BEING PERPENDICUOAR TO SAID ATTCHING MEMBER, SAID ATTACHING MEMBER, BEING PROVIDED AT THE END REMOTE FROM THE SAMPLE HOLDER WITH AN OPEN USHAPED LOOP IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF SAID CLOSED LOOP AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE BEARING MEMBER AT AN INTERMEDIATE POINT THEREOF TO PREVENT ROTATION OF THE SAMPLE-CARRYING MEMBER WHEN HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED WITH THE OPEN LOOP EXTENDING UPWARDLY, WHEREBY, UPON ROTATION OF THE CLOSURE MEMBER, THE CLOSED LOOP ON THE SAMPLE-CARRYING MEMBER DISENGAGES FROM THE LEG OF THE BEARING MEMBER, PERMITTING THE SAMPLE-CARRYING MEMBER TO DROP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FLASK. 